Chronic care management perspective

Industry executives concede that there aren’t quick solutions to improving outcomes for chronic diseases. As a result, making progress will take partnerships and smart strategies.

“There are no silver bullets,” said Todd Treon, vice president of Medicine Shoppe International. “It’s such a deep behavioral challenge in many ways that we’re going to need to come up with some other models and look at the longer payback horizon with all of the actors that are part of this system.”

Becky Dant, director of professional services at Costco, pointed to the siloed nature of the health system, in which “the insurance company has one goal, and the pharmacy has another goal and the healthcare provider has a different goal.”

The solution is “really creating those partnerships so you are caring for the patient, and you’re decreasing duplicate work that doesn’t need to be there,” she said.

The industry employs a lot of jargon in discussing topics such as chronic care, but oftentimes “buzzwords actually have meaning,” said Marcus Silva, director of U.S. marketing and analytics at BD Medical-diabetes care.

“I think about diabetes care, and ‘population management’ certainly is a big component of managing diabetes throughout the patient journey,” he said. “’Collaboration’ is another buzzword, but it’s important … I think when we work together, we can really make an impact.”

Cedarville U commits to innovating pharmacy practice

The Cedarville University School of Pharmacy opened its new Center for Pharmacy Innovation on Jan. 1, 2018 thanks to a $250,000 donation from Dave and Phyllis Grauer of Dublin, Ohio. In addition to this contribution, the Grauers also serve on the School of Pharmacy’s board of advisors, have taught at the school and have funded scholarships for pharmacy students.

According to Marc Sweeney, dean of the Cedarville University School of Pharmacy, the Grauers’ contribution is meant to spur on others to help support the new center. “Our hope is to identify creative solutions to some of our most challenging problems in health care,” Sweeney said. “With the Grauers’ gift, we hope to attract additional donors who will commit to fostering innovation in pharmacy and healthcare.”

The Center for Pharmacy Innovation employs Justin Cole, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, as director. He works to attract innovators and funding for pilot projects to address issues such as medication non-adherence, rising drug and healthcare costs, appropriate integration of technology and new drug discovery. The Cedarville, Ohio-based center will collaborate with the Ohio Pharmacists Association, among others, to develop creative solutions to healthcare issues.

“We want to help professional pharmacists look for and identify areas in health care where they can play a key role in optimizing quality, reducing costs, and improving population health,” Sweeney said. “Not only are the president and Congress trying to address those issues, but solutions need to come from within the healthcare system as well.”

“Pharmacists can do more with their drug knowledge and communication skills as a member of a team of healthcare professionals to help implement innovative healthcare delivery,” Dave Grauer said.

Teva launches generic of Syprine

Teva has introduced its generic Syprine (trientine hydrochloride) capsules. The drug was included on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of off-patent, off-exclusivity branded drugs that didn’t have generics.

“Teva filed our [abbreviated new drug application] more than two years ago and we are pleased that the FDA has now approved our applications and we are able to offer a lower-cost generic alternative to patients,” Teva executive vice president of global R&D Hafrun Fridriksdottir said. “We look forward to working closely with the FDA on their review of our many other generic applications.”

The drug is indicated to treat patients with Wilson’s disease — a genetic disorder that prevents the body from removing excess copper — who are intolerant of penicillamine. Teva’s generic Syprine will be available in 250-mg dosage strength.

Wilson’s disease is estimated to affect roughly 1-in-30,000 individuals. The drug had U.S. sales of roughly $155 million for the 12 months ended November 2018, according to IQVIA data.

“The launch of trientine hydrochloride capsules illustrates Teva’s commitment to serving patient populations in need—whether it’s a medicine that could be taken by millions of individuals or one focused on a rare condition disorder like Wilson’s disease,” Teava executive vice president and head of North America commercial Brendan O’Grady said.

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